SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

San Sebastian, 26/06/2004 (SPS) Spanish Institutions and Organisations, that took part to the Conference of Spanish and Saharawi twinned cities and communities in San Sebastian, called France to "stop its support to Moroccan expansionist policy", in Western Sahara, claiming for "an active contribution" from Zapatero's Government in the search for a solution to the conflict within the framework of the UN.

In a final resolution, unanimously adopted on Friday in San Sebastian, the 140 institutions and organisations supporter to Saharawi people, called France "to stop its support to Moroccan expansionist and colonial policy, in Western Sahara, by adopting the same doctrine it adopted regarding Iraq, in front of American occupation".

On another hand, they claimed for "an active contribution" from Spanish new Government in the solution of the Saharawi conflict, which arises to the level of Spanish responsibilities towards Western Sahara, knowing that the continuity of the conflict "perpetuates the injustice committed against Saharawi people, seriously disturb peace in the Maghreb region which will, as a matter of fact, have deep repercussions in the latter's   relationships with its European neighbours", underlined the text.

United Nations, according to the resolution, must adopt "a firmer and more decisive position in order to push Morocco to respect international legality and to cooperate in the immediate enforcement of the Plan for the self-determination of saharawi people".

The resolution, besides, asked for the opening of the territories of Western Sahara "under Moroccan illegal occupation", to allow free movement to journalists and "international jurists, so as they can attend trials of Saharawi prisoners and detainees".

Finally, the 140 Institutions and Organisations exhorted Morocco to release Saharawi "prisoners of conscience" and to put a term to "detention, vexation, torture and discrimination" against Saharawi citizens in occupied territories of Western Sahara. (SPS)

020/090/000/TRD 261455 June 04 SPS   

SPS
SADR/UN/PRISONERS OF WAR
Annan welcomes Polisario Front's release of 100 Moroccan POWs

New York, 26/06/04 (SPS) UN's Secretary General, Kofi Annan, welcomed on Thursday, "the release by Polisario Front of 100 Moroccan prisoners of war", repatriated last Wednesday to Moroccan Kingdom in a ICRC charter flight.

In a press release publicised Friday, Annan exhorted the parties to the conflict to continue cooperating with the ICRC so as "to determine the fate of all those reported missed since the beginning of the conflict conforming with Security Council's pertinent resolutions and with international humanitarian law". 

Morocco, it should be recalled, still persists in denying the existence of some 150 Saharawi prisoners of war and more than 500 civil disappeared, who were victims to kidnapping and forced disappearance, since the beginnings of the conflict.

This release of prisoners, intervenes "in response to a request from the Irish Government", which had dispatched a ministerial delegation last 21st June for an official visit to Saharawi refugees' camps, and also in response " to a Spanish Government's request presented during the visit of Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Latino America, to the Saharawi camps ".

Preceded by other "humanitarian" initiative, this new group arises the number of Moroccan prisoners of war unilaterally released by Polisario Front so far to 1843, of whom the last group was released in February 2004, following mediation of the Prince of Qatar (SPS)

020/090/000/TRD 261011 June 04 SPS